Prehistoric Preschool Artists
Psst, parents! Did your kids draw on the wall? Well, take heart: you’re
not alone. In fact, prehistoric preschool "artists" decorated their cave
walls, too.
Cambridge archaeologist Jess Cooney will explain how meticulous
research, using methodology tailor-made for the task, has made it possible
to identify both the age and gender of the children who made the simple
art form known as finger flutings around 13,000 years ago during the
hunter gatherer period.Her work reveals that some of the flutings studied were made by
a three-year-old child with the most prolific young artist being a girl
of five.
I can just imagine a cavemom yelling at her kids: "What do you think
you are? Neanderthals? Wait whatamIthinking… you guys are Neanderthals!"
